Julie Mehretu, an Ethiopian-born artist renowned for her monumental abstractions, has completed one of her most ambitious projects yet—a towering glass mural titled Uprising of the Sun for the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) in Chicago. The 83-foot-tall artwork, made of painted glass panels, is the most prominent of several art commissions for the center, which broke ground in 2021. Mehretu’s work honors both the Civil Rights Movement and former President Barack Obama’s legacy while drawing on her Ethiopian roots and the rich historical tapestry that has informed her career.
Born in Addis Ababa in 1970, Mehretu moved to the United States as a young child when her father, an Ethiopian economist, accepted a teaching position at Michigan State University. This early transcontinental journey, paired with the influence of her American mother, provided Mehretu with a diverse cultural foundation, which continues to inspire her artistic vision. Her Ethiopian heritage, particularly her memories of the modernist Africa Hall in Addis Ababa with its iconic stained-glass window by Afewerk Tekle, played a crucial role in shaping her work for the OPC. Mehretu recalls the impression Tekle’s stained glass left on her as a child, an unforgettable influence that she drew upon when creating Uprising of the Sun.
The mural itself reflects the intersection of historical moments and personal memories, blending various inspirations, including Obama and civil rights icon John Lewis crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Great Migration, and Mehretu’s own Ethiopian influences. Mehretu’s ability to layer imagery and references has always been a hallmark of her abstract compositions, and in this piece, she weaves together history, legacy, and cultural narratives in ways that create both visual and symbolic depth.
Mehretu’s Ethiopian heritage continues to permeate her approach to art. In Uprising of the Sun, she draws on the architectural influence of Addis Ababa’s Africa Hall, as well as the historical movements that shaped her understanding of power and transformation. “I wanted to honor Chicago’s history and President Obama’s legacy by telling a story about how change happens,” Mehretu explains. The artist’s work symbolizes the ascension and inspiration of future generations, echoing not only the legacy of civil rights in America but also the resilience and beauty of her Ethiopian background.
Her relationship to Chicago, which she considers a significant artistic influence, adds yet another layer to the work. Having grown up in the Midwest, Mehretu was shaped by the cultural institutions of both Chicago and Detroit, two cities that were deeply transformed by the Great Migration. Her ties to these cities are evident in her work, which uses layered imagery to explore migration, displacement, and collective memory.
The Obama Presidential Center, set to serve as a hub for civic engagement, reflects both the history of the city and the global aspirations of the Obama Foundation. Mehretu’s mural will stand as a beacon of transformation and hope, inviting visitors to reflect on the past while envisioning a brighter future—one in which her Ethiopian roots play an integral role.
Former President Barack Obama also expressed his excitement for Mehretu’s contribution to the OPC. He tweeted, “Michelle and I think that Julie Mehretu’s art installation, titled Uprising of the Sun, will be one of the most important aspects of the Obama Presidential Center and an iconic contribution to the South Side and the city of Chicago. We can’t wait for you to see it.”
With her towering mural, Mehretu has created not only a masterpiece but a visual metaphor for the possibilities of change, ascension, and the vibrant histories that inform our collective future.
